Spiker Helms - Coors MSU Player of the Week (Feb. 27) discusses his hot start to the 2012 season.

2011: One of three players to start all 56 games for the Bears, including 37 in right field and 19 at second base...Hit .290 with 30 RBIs, 34 runs scored and nine stolen bases...Drew 42 walks to boost his on-base percentage to .419, tying for third in MSU history and ranking third in the MVC and 49th nationally...Reached base safely in 49 games and at least twice in 37...Collected multiple hits in 18 games, three shy of the team lead...Began the year on a six-game hitting streak with five multi-hit games, and closed the season with base hits in the final five contests...Drove in a season-high three runs at Illinois State (May 6)...Had three hits in four games, including a 3-for-4, two-run, two-RBI effort in a win over Wichita State (April 10)...Belted his only homer of the year against Saint Louis (April 3)...Spent the summer with the MINK League's St. Joseph Mustangs, hitting .313 with 28 RBIs, 48 runs, 25 steals and 42 walks in 49 contests.

Background: Spent previous two collegiate seasons with fellow MSU junior Brock Chaffin as a middle infielder at Longview Community College...Batted .361 with 25 extra-base hits and 47 RBIs as a sophomore, helping the Lakers to a Region 16 title as an all-region and all-district choice...Hit .353 as a freshman, earning all-region honors with 29 runs scored...Was a two-time all-state and three-time all-district pick as a prep at St. Francis Borgia High...Hit .449 with 26 RBIs and 35 runs scored as a senior, adding a 7-2 mound record and 1.84 ERA...Batted .397 with 21 RBIs as a junior with a 4-2 record and 2.50 ERA, and hit .295 as a sophomore with a 1.30 ERA and 6-0 record...Helped the Knights to a state semifinal football appearance his senior year as an all-conference receiver and cornerback.

Personal: Dennis Michael Helms is the son of Dennis and Cathy Helms...Born July 10, 1989...Father Dennis and uncle Ronald Helms both played football at SEMO in the 1970s...Economics major at MSU.